The Best Be Happy Quotes

Every one of us wants to be happy. We all pursue happiness – in one way or the other. To many, however, happiness remains a great mystery. There are days during which you feel incredibly happy, but also many days when happiness seems to elude you. It’s, therefore, often really difficult to maintain a healthy level of happiness. Especially when considering that life can be painfully challenging at times. Whenever life knocks you down without a reason, whenever you see no light at the end of the tunnel, you can greatly use something that cheers you up a little. In the following, you can find the best be happy quotes that will quickly lighten your mood.

If you are confronted with setbacks and challenges that seemingly suck all the happiness out of you, happiness quotes can make a difference. By reading and thinking about the brilliant thoughts of some of the wisest men and women, you can gradually learn what it really means to be happy.

“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” Abraham Lincoln

There are some quotes about being happy that will instantly brighten your day. But there are also very powerful be happy quotes that inspire you to make necessary changes – towards a much happier life.

It doesn’t take much to be happy.

In many cases, people chase ever more in the hope that adding more to their lives will ultimately make them happy. They pursue wealth, material possessions, fame, and power hoping that these things will finally add happiness to their lives. Without realizing it, this pursuit subtracts a great deal of happiness from their lives. This is because they are never truly satisfied with what they have, which is why they never manage to stop chasing evermore.

The Best Be Happy Quotes

Many of the following be happy quotes will show you that it doesn’t take much to be happy. These wise statements will make you realize that happiness is a choice. If you choose to be happy and if you choose to entertain happy thoughts, you will live a happy life.

1. Audrey Hepburn on the most important thing in life

“The most important thing is to enjoy your life – to be happy – it’s all that matters.” Audrey Hepburn

When people reflect on their lives, they often regret that they haven’t pursued their passions. Many complain that they simply did not always allow themselves to be happy in order to pursue their careers or other things. But ultimately, all these things are of little importance. The only thing that really matters is whether or not you are happy with your life. If you’ve pursued your passions, if you took the time to enjoy life, you are more likely to be a happier person.

2. Gary Vaynerchuk on the pursuit of money

„People are chasing cash, not happiness. When you chase money, you’re going to lose. You’re just going to. Even if you get the money, you’re not going to be happy.” Gary Vaynerchuk

Money doesn’t buy happiness. While it’s true that we all need enough money to live life, it shouldn’t be the underlying motif of all our decisions. Because if you meet decisions based on financial lucrativeness, these decisions may not always contribute to your happiness. For this reason, it is important to maintain a healthy balance between earning money and doing the things that make you happy. Money alone will seldom help you to be happy in the long run. Quite the contrary, if you sacrifice too much for money, you might gravely come to regret this decision in the future.

3. The Dalai Lama

„The purpose of our lives is to be happy.” Dalai Lama

One of the central purposes of life is to learn to be happy. If you help others, if you spread joy, if you are grateful for what you have, you will be happy.

4. Dr. Seuss on crying because it’s over

„Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Dr. Seuss

Eventually, all good things come to an end. It is not easy when this happens, but it is inevitable. Even further, it is incredibly difficult to say goodbye, no matter if we have to say goodbye to a person, a dream, an object or something entirely different.

During these challenging times, it is important not to lose hope. Remind yourself that you can consider yourself fortunate for having experienced these wonderful times. Realize that even though it is difficult to say goodbye, it would be much worse not to have experienced whatever came to an end at all.

5. Marcel Pagnol on the difficulty of being happy

„The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be.” Marcel Pagnol

Your happiness greatly depends on your thinking processes. If you attribute to much value to the past, while downplaying the joy of the present, your happiness will most likely suffer from it.

6. Dale Carnegie on how you think about happiness

„It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.” Dale Carnegie

It doesn’t matter so much what happens to you in life. All that matters is how you think about it and how you respond to it. Because let’s face it, you cannot change the course of events. But you can always decide how you let what happens influence your thoughts.

If you choose to think positively despite the circumstances, you will find yourself in a better situation to liberate yourself from the difficulties.

7. Leo Tolstoy on the desire to be happy

„If you want to be happy, be.” Leo Tolstoy

Many people struggle greatly with being happy because they make their happiness dependent on external circumstances. They hope that they can somehow be happy by chasing money, material possessions or other external things. What they don’t realize is that happiness is a choice. If you choose to be happy right here and right now, you will be happy. But if you allow your happiness to be dependent on things outside of yourself, your happiness will never be fully in your own hands.

8. Ralph Emerson on the danger of being angry

„For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Angriness and hatred are not beneficial for you. Instead, they make it much more difficult for you to be happy.

9. Vanessa Hudgens on choosing to be happy

„You have a choice whether you want to be happy or not. I choose to be happy.” Vanessa Hudgens

Happiness is a choice. If you choose to be happy, nothing can stop you from being happy. In this sense, happiness is an attitude. You can always feel miserable and pity yourself for all the negativity in your life. But you also have the choice of using what you have and making the best of it. With this mindset, you will be much more content about your life, which helps you to gradually develop gratitude for all the beautiful aspects of your life.

10. Marcel Proust on those who make us happy

„Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” Marcel Proust

Cultivating gratitude is incredibly important when it comes to living a happy life. Gratefulness will direct your attention away from all the things in your life you are not satisfied with. Doing so allows you to be happier of all the beautiful aspects of your life.

Surround yourself with people who are outgoing and happy. Welcome the company of those who make you happy and with whom you can share your own happiness. By cultivating these important relationships, your soul and spirit will truly blossom.

11. William Gladstone on being happy with what you have

„Be happy with what you have and are, be generous with both, and you won’t have to hunt for happiness.” William E. Gladstone

Learning to be happy with less can be quite an important step on the road to happiness. It helps you to draw happiness from the things you already have, instead of continuously seeking to add more things to your life in the hope that they will make you happier.

12. Afrojack on lying to yourself

„If you never lie to yourself, you’ll always be happy with yourself, and eventually the person you wake up with and the person you go to sleep with is yourself.” Afrojack

Self-honesty is an integral aspect of happiness. If you lie to yourself about the things that make you happy, you may put a great number of obstacles in your way. At the same time, if you are fully honest with yourself, you will eventually learn to accept yourself for who you are. But not just this, you will gradually learn to be happier with the way you are.

13. Lauren Oliver on the connection between happiness and unhappiness

„You can’t be happy unless you’re unhappy sometimes”.” Lauren Oliver

Being happy all the time isn‘t possible. Sometimes, bad and difficult times show you how valuable the days are when you are happy. If you never struggle in life, if you’re never unhappy or sad, you will never come to appreciate the true value of happiness.

14. Albert Camus on understanding happiness

„You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.” Albert Camus

You’ll never find happiness if you continue to search for it. Don’t seek happiness, create it. You must actively do something in order to be happy, meaning you have to make the decision to be happy. Be happy right here and right now. Don’t try to overcomplicate things. Don’t try to analyze all the different aspects a happy life should consist of. Simply try to be happier at this very moment.

15. Ben Huh on happiness as a journey

„I want to be happy. I realized that being happy isn’t necessarily about getting there, it’s how you get there. It almost sounds like a cliche, but every entrepreneur I’ve talked to – every good entrepreneur – really enjoys the ‘how you get here.'” Ben Huh

Another integral aspect of happiness is to realize that it isn’t a destination, it’s a journey. If you only allow yourself to be happy once you have reached the destination, you will deprive your life of happiness and joy. At the same time, you make your happiness dependent on whether or not you are able to reach the destination. Instead of doing all this, try to enjoy the ride. Take yourself time and pause for a while here and there, just to enjoy the beauty of your journey.

16. Groucho Marx on the power to make yourself happy

„I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.” Groucho Marx

Life gives you many opportunities to be sad, unhappy or even depressed. Life will push you to the ground and it will give it’s very best to keep you there. It will continuously confront you with situations and experiences that suck the happiness out of you. But you can always choose if you want to allow life to decrease your happiness. If you maintain an optimistic and positive outlook, none of these events can impact your long-term happiness.

17. Diana Quik on pretending to be happy

„I don’t pretend to be happy all the time. I think to be human is to be happy and unhappy by turns. But I have a great capacity to enjoy myself, and it seems to grow as I get older.” Diana Quick

When you’re feeling unhappy, don’t try to suppress your feelings. Acknowledge your unhappiness and let it all out. Running away from it never really solves the underlying issue.

18. Valerie Bertinelli on choosing to be happy

„Happiness is a choice. You can choose to be happy. There’s going to be stress in life, but it’s your choice whether you let it affect you or not.” Valerie Bertinelli

If you understand that happiness is a choice, you will come to realize that your happiness lies in your own hands. You are responsible for your happiness. No one else will ever be able to make you happy if you choose to feel miserable. Only you can affect a change to the better.

19. Kenan Thompson on wanting others to be happy

„I’m a happy person, and I want everybody else to be happy. Nothing wrong with that.” Kenan Thompson

Wanting to see other people happy is not just something that is not wrong, as Kenan Thompson puts it. It is much more than that. Scientific research shows that by helping others in any way shape or form, you will increase your own happiness. Many of these studies concluded that by helping others, you will become a happier person.

20. Bertrand Russell on caution in love

„Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness.” Bertrand Russell

The ability to love is perhaps one of the most important elements of a happy life.

21. Ellen DeGeneres on focusing too much on our differences

„We focus so much on our differences, and that is creating, I think, a lot of chaos and negativity and bullying in the world. And I think if everybody focused on what we all have in common – which is – we all want to be happy.” Ellen DeGeneres

The one thing we all have in common is that we all strive for happiness. We all seek to be happy. Realizing that others pursue happiness just as you do can be quite an important realization.

22. Sam Levenson on trying to be happy

„Just try to be happy. Unhappiness starts with wanting to be happier.” Sam Levenson

As you go through life, you will notice that there is always something that promises to make you happier. There will always be the nagging thought that doing this or that could make you much happier. This, however, is a great misperception. The desire to be happier is insatiable. No matter what you do, you will always continue seeking to be happier. Once you’ve accomplished a certain thing that you thought would make you happier, you will already chase the next thing. It’s a rat race that is never coming to an end.

Instead of always seeking to be happier, learn to be content with your present happiness.

23. Joyce Meyer on trying to cheer others up

„If someone decides they’re not going to be happy, it’s not your problem. You don’t have to spend your time and energy trying to cheer up someone who has already decided to stay in a bad mood. Believe it or not, you can actually hurt people by playing into their self-pity.” Joyce Meyer

It’s impossible to lift someone’s mood if that person has decided to feel miserable. You are not responsible for other people’s happiness, just as much as other people are not responsible for your own.

24. Dada Vaswani on true happiness

„Happiness, true happiness, is an inner quality. It is a state of mind. If your mind is at peace, you are happy. If your mind is at peace, but you have nothing else, you can be happy. If you have everything the world can give – pleasure, possessions, power – but lack peace of mind, you can never be happy.” Dada Vaswani

True happiness comes from the inside. External possessions can always be taken from you, but the happiness that comes from within cannot.

25. J. Donald Walters on the secret of happiness

„The secret of happiness is the determination to be happy always, rather than wait for outer circumstances to make one happy.” J. Donald Walters

There will never be the perfect moment to be happy. Choose to be happy right here and right now. Otherwise, you become greatly dependent on things that are more or less beyond your control.

26. Dalai Lama on practicing compassion

„If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” Dalai Lama

Being compassionate about others and having compassion for yourself is essential for a happy life.

27. J.R.R. Tolkien on hoarding gold

„If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” J.R.R. Tolkien

The pursuit of money does not only deprive your life of happiness, but it may also lead you to do things that you come to regret. Many people have done terrible things only because they desired to live a life full of luxury and riches. Learn to appreciate the little things in life. Often times, they turn out to be more meaningful and fulfilling than amassing riches.

28. Golda Meir on trusting yourself

„Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.” Golda Meir

With every decision you meet, ask yourself if it adds to your happiness. If you can happily live with this decision for the rest of your life, it is most likely the best choice you can meet.

29. Dalai Lama on the origin of happiness

„Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” Dalai Lama

No one will award you happiness. No one will hand it over to you. Only by doing the things that make you happy you will manifest happiness in your life.

30. Lucius Seneca on wisdom

„Wisdom allows nothing to be good that will not be so forever; no man to be happy but he that needs no other happiness than what he has within himself; no man to be great or powerful that is not master of himself.” Lucius Annaeus Seneca

If you need nothing to be happy, you will always be happy – no matter if you have much or nothing.

31. Tom Bodett on the things you need to be happy

„They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.” Tom Bodett

Another very wise be happy quote. Do something you love and hope that it will never end.

32. Mahatma Gandhi on the importance of harmony

„Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” Mahatma Gandhi

It’s not always easy to say what you think. And it certainly is not easy to put your words to action. But the greater the harmony between these three things, the greater your happiness.

33. Gabriel Márquez on happiness as medicine

„No medicine cures what happiness cannot.” Gabriel García Márquez

I hope you enjoyed this hand-picked collection of the best be happy quotes.

About Author

Steve is the founder of Planet of Success, the #1 choice when it comes to motivation, self-growth and empowerment. This world does not need followers. What it needs is people who stand in their own sovereignty. Join us in the quest to live life to the fullest!

2 Comments

Hi Steve,
A great list of inspiring quotes there. Love ‘em all.
Here’s my personal favorite – “You can’t be happy unless you’re unhappy sometimes” by Lauren Oliver.
In the course of seeking happiness, people often think that happiness is some far off concept and an esoteric thing. Well, it’s not. It’s the small moments in your life that bring you happiness. And at times, it’s those undesired moments that add value to your happiness. Just as you can’t have sunshine without a little rain, you can’t be happy unless you’re unhappy sometimes.
And I think happiness doesn’t come from wanting to be happy. It rather comes from realizing that it’s perfectly okay to be unhappy sometimes. 🙂
Thumbs up for the quotes. They are truly enlivening.

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